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Petitclerc sets world records in wheeling to double gold

Chantal Petitclerc barely had time to catch her breath between winning two gold medals and setting a pair of world records at the Paralympics yesterday.

Canada's Chantal Petitclerc reacts after setting a new world record and winning gold in the women's 200m T54 at the Beijing Paralympic Games, Sept. 14, 2008. She won five gold medals and set three world records in Beijing. (EUGENE HOSHIKO / AP)

By Jim MorrisThe Canadian Press

Mon., Sept. 15, 2008

BEIJING–Chantal Petitclerc barely had time to catch her breath between winning two gold medals and setting a pair of world records at the Paralympics yesterday.

The veteran wheelchair racer from Montreal won the 200 metres in 27.52 seconds. Then, about 90 minutes later, she collected her fourth gold medal of the Games by winning the 800 metres in a world-record time of one minute, 45.19 seconds.

"I've never done that in my life," said Petitclerc, 38, who has set three world records in Beijing. "I told my coach, never again. This was a stressful day.

"When I go back to the village and get into my room with these medals, I will think about it. It's just amazing."

Diane Roy of Hatley, Que., finished third in the 800 metres to collect her third medal of the Paralympics. Roy thought she had a chance at silver but got boxed in with some other racers on the track.

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"I think I did what I had to do and I finished well," said Roy, who was timed in 1:48.07. "The goal was to have a podium so everything is fine."

Roy called Petitclerc's two wins amazing.

"I think the only thing she had to do (after the 200 metres) was refocus and just do it," said Roy. "She can be very fast. That's wonderful."

Earlier in the day, Calgary's Earle Connor won the 100 metres in the T42 class in a Paralympic record time of 12.32 seconds.

Swimmers Chelsey Gotell of Antigonish, N.S., and Anne Polinario of Montreal also won gold on a nine-medal day for Canada at the Games.

Canada now has 43 medals in Beijing – 17 gold, eight silver and 18 bronze – to sit sixth in the gold rankings and ninth overall.

China continues to lead both with 63 golds and 159 total.

Gotell clocked a world record in the women's 100-metre backstroke for the visually impaired, finishing in one minute, 9.09 seconds to eclipse the previous world mark of 1:09.28 set by Yvonne Hopf of Germany.

"This is the event that I came here for," said Gotell. "All the hard work I put into it paid off."

Valerie Grand'Maison of Montreal won the silver in 1:10.42 and Anna Efimenko of Russia was third in 1:10.99.

Gotell and Grand'Maison each have five medals at these Games.

Polinario, meanwhile, won the women's 50 freestyle in the S10 category in 28.51 seconds.

"I was disappointed with my first two races so I'm glad to finish with a victory," said Polinario. "It was a very good race for me."

In the men's S10 50 freestyle, Benoit Huot of Longueuil, Que., claimed his third bronze of the Games in 24.65 seconds.

"Finally a personal-best time," said Huot, who has been battling a virus. "Each day I'm feeling stronger and stronger and I'm looking forward to my final race (today)."

Genevieve Ouellet of Amos, Que., and guide Mathilde Hupin of Bromont, Que., won bronze in the women's road race for the visually impaired.

They completed the 72.6-kilometre race in two hours, one minute, 17 seconds, winning a sprint to the finish over Australians Lindy Hou and Toireasa Gallagher.

"It's unbelievable for me that I won a medal at the Paralympics," said Ouellet, a former Paralympic swimmer. "With two laps to go we knew we were in medal contention and really pushed hard."

Earlier in the Games, Petitclerc, who races in the T54 class for wheelchair athletes with different levels of spinal cord injuries and amputations, won the 400 metres – setting a world record – and 100 metres and now has 20 medals in a career that has spanned five Paralympics. The medals she has earned in Beijing are even more important to her than the five gold she won four years ago in Athens.

"Athletes from other countries are getting more support, more equipment, better coaching, better tools. Four years later the field is deeper and everybody is faster. Each of these medals has more value than the medals I had in Athens," she said.

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